On July 31, the Northern Territory’s Expert Advisory Panel released a report on Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). The report advocates for the legalisation of VAD in the NT and outlines a recommended policy framework with relevant safeguards.
The NT government will now review and consider the report’s 22 recommendations. If supported, these will inform draft legislation for VAD in the Northern Territory.
An independent expert advisory panel, co-chaired by the Hon Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO and Duncan McConnel SC, developed the report, following public consultations conducted between August 2023 and May 2024.
A few key points from the report:
- A 12 month time frame to death, in line with Queensland’s VAD law
- Applicants must have lived in Australia for two years and in the Territory for 12 months, with exemptions for cross-border communities and those with family, cultural or support networks in the Territory.
- VAD services would be separate from NT Health to ensure cultural safety for Indigenous residents
- Residential aged care cannot block residents from accessing VAD
- No ‘gag clause’ that prevents health professionals from raising the issue with patients